Coconut Ginger Granola

Katherine Flynn

Toasted in the oven, homemade granola is full of flavor without the crazy amount of added sugar and calories from store-bought brands. This particular recipe uses fresh orange juice, minced crystallized ginger and dried coconut to add zest, spice and sweetness.

Katherine Flynn

August 09, 2016

The combination of toasted nuts, earthy spices and fresh orange zest make this homemade granola the perfect road trip and camping companion. The trick is to make a big batch before heading out to have a snack, breakfast option, and last-minute crisp topping at your fingertips.

This recipe is a blank canvas that you can customize with your choice of nuts, spices, and extracts. This particular recipe packs in the flavor without going over on sugar by using vanilla extract, a little honey, and brown sugar to add sweetness and bind the oats together.

Serve sprinkled over 2% Greek yogurt and fresh berries for an energy-boosting breakfast or afternoon snack. Instead of throwing sugar-covered nuts in your salads, toss in some granola for add crunch and sweetness.

This granola is also great for camping trips due to its various uses like breakfast, snacks, and even dessert. To conclude your trip, throw your leftover fruit in the skillet, top with leftover granola for the quickest fruit crisp you've ever made. Not going camping? This works just as well in a conventional oven.

Katherine Flynn

Even though the ingredient list might seem long, you will probably find almost of all these are already in your pantry. If you have dried fruit on hand, feel free to chop it up and add to the granola. Dried cherries and apricots pair well with this recipe but only add a few to avoid too much additional sugar.

Campfire Coconut Ginger Granola

4 cups rolled, old-fashion oats

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 tablespoon crystallized ginger

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

1/2 cup chopped almonds

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/3 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup of unsweetened, dried coconut

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375. Line large baking sheets with silicone liners or parchment paper.

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and be sure to mix thoroughly to ensure even baking.

Bake for 25 minutes occasionally rotating the baking sheets to avoid burning. Remove from the oven when golden brown and let cool for ten minutes.

Once cooled, store the mixture in a large container with a sealed lid.